A mute for a musical instrument is a device fitted to the instrument to change the sound produced by the instrument, such as by altering the timbre and/or reducing the volume of the sound. For brass instruments such as trumpets, tubas, bugles, and trombones, a mute body is inserted into or attached to the bell of the instrument to block and absorb at least some of the sound coming through the bell opening. In some of these mutes, the absorption of sound may change the tone, may introduce mute-generated effects such as “wah-wah” or buzzing, or may emphasize a range of pitches coming from the instrument (e.g., enhanced treble). Musicians may also use mutes to reduce sound levels for more discreet practice sessions. Many mutes are simply attached to or held stationary in the bell, and others are manipulated by the musician to dynamically change the sound, such as, for example, a plunger mute that is cupped in the musician's hand and flapped against and away from the bell while the instrument is in use.
In conventional mutes, there are clear limits on the types of sounds that may be created. These limits may be based on the acoustic properties of the mute and the instrument itself. In order to control or change the sound coming from the instrument, the musician must manipulate the mute or exchange it. This may be difficult or impossible to do quickly and reliably, such as while performing or while the mute is inserted into a difficult to reach part of the instrument, such as within a tuba horn. Having multiple mutes for the same instrument may also be expensive and may take up additional space in carrying cases and other limited spaces. Furthermore, there is a wide variety of electronic sounds and filters that cannot be produced using existing mutes. There is, therefore, a present need for improvements in musical instrument mutes.